One of the most intriguing moments of Eric DeCosta’s Wednesday afternoon press conference proved to be the general manager’s suggestion that the Baltimore Ravens were, at one point in time, considering the possibility of acquiring both Maxx Crosby and Trey Hendrickson, and that the idea initially began with the departure of Tyler Linderbaum.
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Seeing as the Las Vegas Raiders were willing to make him the highest-paid center in the NFL, no one will blame Linderbaum for leaving, but according to Skip Bayless, this entire fiasco could have potentially been avoided had the Raiders chosen not to overpay for the Ravens’ starting center. “When the Ravens backed out on Maxx Crosby, I feel like the Raiders backed into winning free agency,” Bayless exclaimed.
“I can’t believe they were trading him in the first place… He’s just too good and it always felt like he was born to be a Raider. He’s a Raider at heart. I think he’ll just jump right back in and be right back on course… But because they retained him by accident… They overpaid for Linderbaum.”
Even though this isn’t how they had initially envisioned things playing out, Bayless ultimately suggests that it’s for the better of Las Vegas, as now their incoming quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, can enjoy a bit of support on both sides of the ball. “It’s somebody that he can trust in the huddle,” Bayless added.
A three-year, $81-million contract may seem like a lot, especially for a center who is just now entering his fifth year in the league, but a quick glance at Linderbaum’s resume will tell you that he’s more than deserving of it. After finishing seventh overall in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2022, the Iowa product proceeded to rattle off three consecutive Pro Bowl nominations.
Throw in the fact that he’s only missed two games throughout his first four years in the NFL, and it’s clear that Linderbaum presents a rare combination of both availability and productivity. So even though Bayless believes that the price tag may be a bit too much, he’s still willing to acknowledge that the 25 year old is a “perennial Pro Bowl center and a leader.”
Suffice to say, the Raiders couldn’t have done a better job in finding a long-term partner for Mendoza, who will certainly have his work cut out for him as he will be tasked with reviving the playoff hopes of a franchise that hasn’t even won a divisional championship since 2002.
